Why can't we beat anybody in the east?

[noone]

Even with an intensity level upgrade, no team in the NBA can run with the Sixers. None. They just don't have the athletes and/or play the style we play.

Whether or not teams in the NBA can run with the Sixers or not really doesn't matter because teams won't allow the Sixers to run in the playoffs. They'll make the Sixers a half-court team. None of Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland are really up-and-down teams. They like slowing the game down.

[LongLiveHinkie]

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Whether or not teams in the NBA can run with the Sixers or not really doesn't matter because teams won't allow the Sixers to run in the playoffs. They'll make the Sixers a half-court team. None of Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland are really up-and-down teams. They like slowing the game down.

Well they couldn't stop the Sixers in the regular season. Tough luck trying in the playoffs. I don't think it is that easy. You don't just stop a team from running that is as good at it as the Sixers.

[carltong23]

Winning the Finals would definitely be a lot harder than coming out of the east, but it certainly is possible.

Its possible if Garnett, Pierce, Dwight Howard, & Lebron James all get season ending injuries between now and when we play them.

[eyeatoma]

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I think they just spread the floor really well that night and had great ball movement. The Warriors can run, but not on the level of the Sixers. Plus, like you said they have a little different type of style. We really don't shoot the 3 in transition. They do.

Their athleticism is nearly on par with ours...Stephen Jackson is above average, Pietrus is nasty, Baron davis is incredible, Monta as well. Biedrins is an above average athlete...

Lets compare

Athleticism

Miller < Davis
Green < Ellis
Iguodala > Jackson
Young > Harrington
Dalembert > Biedrins
Smith/Evans < Wright
Carney > Azubuike

So thats pretty even, at 3-3...4-3 for the warriors seeing that I grouped Evans and Smith together.


The warriors style is in fact more frenetic than the sixers. They have the green light to shoot all the time. In fact if they don't shoot within the first 5-10 seconds, Nellie blows a gasket. The sixers would have a very similar style to the Warriors if we had the 3 point shooters they possessed. Take this game for instance...Cheeks encouraged the 3 point shot. We got lucky today and converted. Iggy took 9 shots, Williams took about 6, and Carney took 4. Even Stefanski said he wants our offense to mimic the suns. The only difference is we don't have the shooters, but we play better defense.

[noone]

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I think the Celtics are the most overachieving team in NBA history and are a total fraud and a shoe-in early exit. The Pistons? Hard to say. Not a big fan of them either.

Winning the Finals would definitely be a lot harder than coming out of the east, but it certainly is possible.

I disagree with both of those. The Celts are the best defensive team in the league, they have a good mix of inside and outside players, and they have players that can at any time took over a game. All ingredients to success in the playoffs.

As for the Pistons, they're just really good all round. They're 4th in the league defensively and are a pretty well oiled machine offensively. Because they have 4-5 players that are a threat to score 20+ on any given night and all play very good defensively, they have the pieces to really take advantage of mismatches and other teams' weakness.

[LongLiveHinkie]

You make a good case. I'd still take the Sixers in that style, but the Warriors are definitely close.

That said, the only way we'd play the Warriors was in the Finals, so no use worrying about them just yet.

[The Guilty Party]

Good argument. I don't think you have the balls to bring a real one to the table though, because I'll bury you before you even get started.

LMAO!! This is perhaps the post of the year. First of all... Kool-Aid is very in and I'm on board with you. This team is playing solid ball and as long as they continue to play this way, I don't think Boston or Detroit or Orlando or Cleveland are excited about playing them in a 7 game series.

Of course, I have read where some "experts" believe that in a playoff series a team will focus on cutting down the Sixers fastbreak chances and make them beat them in a half-court game. While I do love me some Kool-Aid... I do believe that is a legitimate concern.

[LongLiveHinkie]

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I disagree with both of those. The Celts are the best defensive team in the league, they have a good mix of inside and outside players, and they have players that can at any time took over a game. All ingredients to success in the playoffs.

As for the Pistons, they're just really good all round. They're 4th in the league defensively and are a pretty well oiled machine offensively. Because they have 4-5 players that are a threat to score 20+ on any given night and all play very good defensively, they have the pieces to really take advantage of mismatches and other teams' weakness.

Well, for future reference, when discussing ball with me, keep in mind I was raised on a two word phrase: "Boston sucks." So you will never hear me compliment a Boston sports team in any form or fashion and for any rhyme or reason. Boston to me sucks, sucked, and always will suck, no matter what they do or look like. I personally think their defense sucks too.

The Pistons to me though just seem like something is missing. Maybe they are getting bored or a little long in the tooth, but they just don't have that fire in their game that they had those couple years when they won the title, and lost in game 7 to the Spurs. Even in the playoffs the last couple years, they really disappointed and didn't show up in big games. How do you let Lebron eat you up in your own house like that? They just stood around and watched him. The curse of Chris Webber maybe.

[noone]

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Well they couldn't stop the Sixers in the regular season. Tough luck trying in the playoffs. I don't think it is that easy. You don't just stop a team from running that is as good at it as the Sixers.

In the regular season teams just come out and play the games. There are far too many games and too little time between games to come out with a game plan for each and every team. In the playoffs, teams have more time to prepare and know exactly who/what to prepare for so they come out looking to negate the other teams strengths. The Sixers' main strength is to get out in transition. You can almost guarantee that one of the top agendas for any team facing the Sixers will be to get back in transition. That and taking care of the ball offensively, and teams have taken the Sixers' strengths away from them.

[noone]

Like it or not, but Boston is a damn good team.

As for Detroit. Lebron is Lebron. No matter how good or bad your team is, Lebron can win you a series single-handedly. Too bad we don't have him or a player anywhere close to him on ours.

[Entengtot]

the playoffs are about experience, less turns, less fastbreaks and hard nosed defense. i think the sixers can sneak on some teams but i guess their lack of a legit post threat would be a knock on their offense.

but to say that the sixers can win over the celtics, lebrons and pistons in a seven game series would be far from reality. a possibility with less probability.

these are i think the knocks on the sixers winning over the top echelon east teams:

1. lack of legit post up player
2. lack of outside threat
3. experience and vet savvy
4. slow down playoff basketball
5. superstar calls

[SouthJersey]

I agree with this post. People are very quick to dismiss the 76ers based on other teams record, but what has history told us about the playoffs? The team that is playing the best going is more prepared. We see it all the time, but records over shadow it bc that is concrete "proof".

Boston I think is far superior to any other team, but teams like Detroit and the Magic have been coasting. I dont like Detroit at all this year. Flip Saunders just doesnt know how to adjust come playoff time, yet nobody looks at that. Whoever think Detroit is winning it all has listened to Steven A Smith too many times. Anyway, This sixers team does have a chance come playoff time.

[Sandalf42]

I think the Celtics are the most overachieving team in NBA history

I know ur entitled to yor opinion but come on. They are a GREAT defensive team, and have Ray Allen, KG, Paul Pierce, Rondo, Cassell now, etc.



They are kinda like Kobe...... sometimes, they're so good, it's unfair.

[STChaser]

Of course, I have read where some "experts" believe that in a playoff series a team will focus on cutting down the Sixers fastbreak chances and make them beat them in a half-court game. While I do love me some Kool-Aid... I do believe that is a legitimate concern.

Well, it works both ways. Post-up PF's (which we lack) usually have slower foot speed and can't recover on defense, and when they do manage to get back, they usually pick up fouls against teams that can run. Case and point; Gooden against the Hawks looked like the second coming of Karl Malone. Against us, he was a defensive liability, picked up some early fouls, and sat on the bench for the majority of the game. With Sam anchoring the inside and deflecting shots, I think we may still be able to employ the fast break and take away our opponents' post-up / half court game. So much of our success in the playoffs and our ability to run is going to depend upon Sam not getting into early foul trouble.

STChaser

[tk76]

The Sixers having the worst starting player of all 30 teams at 2 of 5 positions won't help. Of course it hasn't stopped us so far.

Like Ed points out- this is a team with a few obvious glaring weaknesses- and they are winning. If we can address our 3pt shooting, starting PF and back-up C without disrupting our stengths we can become scary good... next year.

If last nights hot shooting was a sign of things to come, we may have the answers to our three point shooting issues on the current roster. Young players often improve their three point shooting in their first few seasons.

[STChaser]

Problem with last night's 3 point shooting (outside of Iguodala) is that both Carney and Lou come off the bench. That means that if Iguodala isn't hitting the long range shots, no one is our starting lineup is capable of spreading the D.

STChaser

[LongLiveHinkie]

I think the Celtics are the most overachieving team in NBA history

I know ur entitled to yor opinion but come on. They are a GREAT defensive team, and have Ray Allen, KG, Paul Pierce, Rondo, Cassell now, etc.



They are kinda like Kobe...... sometimes, they're so good, it's unfair.

None of those names do anything for me, and they are average defensively IMO. Excluding stats. I hate stats. They just give clueless basketball fans an argument by stating random numbers.

[tk76]

STC- Green is usually one of our better three point shooters (and I doubt he will be the starter after this year anyway.) Our main issue is that all of our three point shooters are streaky, more scorers than shooters- which can be dangerous if we become reliant on jumpers. hopefully we can keep attacking.

[STChaser]

Put me with Westbrook on this one. While Garnett is extremely good, Pierce and Allen just don't instill fear in me. Not in the least. In fact, I think we match up quite well with Boston - more so than we do with Orlando. Personally, I don't think Boston's veteran trio can keep up with our pace.

Throw out the name Pierce, and I'll throw out the name Thaddeus. You might find that laughable but I've seen what this rookie can do on both ends of the court and I have 100% faith in this kid based on what I've seen so far this season. Throw out the name Allen and I'll put Iguodala up against him any day. Throw out Rondo's name and I'll one-up you with Lou Williams. Throw out Cassell and I'll show you what a real PG looks like in Andre Miller. Throw out Big Baby and I'll throw down Evans and Jason Smith. Throw out Garnett and you've got us beat. But if Sam can avoid foul trouble like he did the other night, I'll take my chances come the 4th quarter with a one-on-one matchup.

STChaser

[Sandalf42]

None of those names do anything for me, and they are average defensively IMO. Excluding stats. I hate stats. They just give clueless basketball fans an argument by stating random numbers.

If none of those names do anything for you (espically the first 3 ) then this is a futile "debate".

And while the stats back up my statement that they are a great defensive team ( give up 90.7 ppg, and have the best FG% defense I think), I have actually watched them play.

They are smothering, can block shots, rebound the basketball, and your lucky if you get an open shot on them.

The Sixers having the worst starting player of all 30 teams at 2 of 5 positions won't help. Of course it hasn't stopped us so far.

I can understand maybe having the worst starting PF when we play Reggie Evans, but Willie Green is a decent starter. Not his ideal role, but still. There have to be a few shooting guards that are worse than him.

I don't understand why people think we match up well with the Celtics. They simply have too much skill. I'll take my chances on any team but them.